★From the unique perspective of chemistry, this book connects major events from antiquity to the contemporary era, revealing how matter has influenced power, science, religion, war, and daily life!
★Author Alejandro Navarro holds dual backgrounds in biochemistry and economic and business sciences, and has published numerous works on the history of science. He has been hailed as "one of the most interesting science communicators in the Spanish-speaking world."
★The author provides solid historical facts and scientific principles, yet presents them in an accessible, engaging, and vivid style that allows non-specialist readers to easily understand and become fully immersed.

Chemical discoveries—those that debunked myths, sustained empires, and, by accident, changed the color of the world.

Tiberius's unbreakable glass, the robe of the King of the Jews, Saladin's sword, the Terracotta Army, the miracle bacterium, the Black Prince's fake ruby, the thunders of Algeciras, the shipwrecks of Jutland, the taste of discoveries, St. Anthony's fire, the witches of Salem, laughing gases, the battle of the luminous wounds… Chemistry is not a body of knowledge confined to laboratories. It resides in the fabrics that marked social hierarchies, in the medicines that transformed life expectancy, in the explosives that reshaped warfare, and in the materials that altered economies and cultures. Sometimes it operates silently; at other times, spectacularly—but it always leaves its mark on history.

In this book, Alejandro Navarro brings together numerous historical episodes in which substances, reactions, and discoveries—whether sought after or accidental—changed the course of events. From antiquity to the modern era, this book demonstrates how matter has influenced power, science, religion, war, and everyday life. It is an invitation to look back at the past through the lens of chemistry and to discover that many of humanity's greatest transformations began with a chemical reaction, a new material, or an unexpected substance.

Alejandro Navarro (Madrid, 1961) is a biochemist and holds a Ph.D. in Economic and Business Sciences. For over twenty years, he worked as an international executive in multinational companies in the oil and renewable energy sectors. He currently works as a university professor and consultant in business organization. As a researcher and science communicator, he has a deep knowledge of the history of science, with a particular interest in ancient science and technology, especially topics related to chemistry. He regularly contributes to various media outlets and has published numerous books.